BIO: Tahjere McCall was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA) and attended George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science. There, he played for the schools basketball team and was lightly recruited by college team’s.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Tahjere McCall made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 24 years of age. He scored 16 points in his first game.

Cairns underwent significant changes before the NBL22 season, starting with Adam Forde replacing Mike Kelly as head coach. Forde, previously with the Sydney Kings, was tasked with reinvigorating a Taipans squad that lost leading scorer Cam Oliver to the NBA. New additions included imports Tahjere McCall and Stephen Zimmerman, as well as Keanu Pinder (via Adelaide) and rookie Bul Kuol (Detroit Mercy), who joined a core that featured Majok Deng, Kouat Noi, Nathan Jawai, Mirko Djeric, Jarrod Kenny, and captain Scott Machado.

The Taipans faced a challenging season marked by injuries, which left them unable to field a full-strength roster in any game. Despite these setbacks, Forde’s development-focused approach yielded career-best seasons for several players. Majok Deng (14.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1 assist) led by example, appearing in every game and ranking second on the team in scoring. Keanu Pinder (10.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists) doubled his production from the prior season and earned the NBL Most Improved Player award.

Bul Kuol (10.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) made an immediate impact as a rookie. Initially not guaranteed minutes, Kuol stepped up due to injuries and became one of Cairns’ most reliable contributors, culminating in him winning the NBL Rookie of the Year award. Ben Ayre (6.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists), originally an unpaid training player, joined the main roster as an injury replacement in April and set records during his eight-game stint. On April 18, 2022, Ayre scored 20 points and dished out 10 assists against Melbourne (80–92), becoming only the second player in Taipans history to achieve this feat.

Tahjere McCall emerged as Cairns’ standout performer during his debut season, leading the team in scoring (16.1 points), assists (5.5), and steals (2). His all-around contributions made him the only player in the league to finish in the top three for both assists and steals. McCall’s season culminated in a historic 42-point, 10-assist performance against Brisbane, marking the highest individual score in NBL22 and solidifying his place as one of the league’s elite guards.

The Taipans concluded the season with a 9–19 record, finishing second-last on the ladder. McCall and Machado (10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) were named co-MVPs, with Machado limited by a heel injury that saw him miss significant time.

2022/23
Tahjere McCall re-signed with the Taipans on a two-year deal, joining a roster that retained key players like Majok Deng, Bul Kuol, Keanu Pinder, and Mirko Djeric. Notable departures included Kouat Noi (to Sydney) and Nathan Jawai, who was not re-signed. New additions included Sam Waardenburg, Lat Mayen, and Jonah Antonio, while imports DJ Hogg and Shannon Scott replaced Machado and Zimmerman.

Cairns, predicted to finish last, defied expectations with a 5–1 start, including wins over Tasmania, South East Melbourne, and reigning champions Sydney. The Taipans frequently snapped opposition win streaks, including Brisbane’s three-game run (90–82) and Sydney’s record 17-game road streak (94–88). McCall transitioned to a bench role mid-season but remained a key contributor, scoring 18 points in the upset against Sydney.

Key wins included back-to-back victories over Melbourne, with Pinder (26 points, 10 rebounds) and Hogg (23 points) leading in the first game (81–77), and a dominant 25-point win in the rematch. McCall shone in a double-overtime thriller against Illawarra, scoring 23 points alongside Hogg as Cairns secured a 102–101 victory.

Despite losing Pinder to injuries twice during the season, the Taipans finished third with an 18–10 record. McCall (16.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2 steals) appeared in 25 games, consistently delivering impactful performances. Pinder (16.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) earned his second consecutive Most Improved Player award, while rookie Waardenburg (11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds) won the league’s Next Generation Award.

In the playoffs, Cairns defeated Perth (91–78) behind Hogg’s franchise-record 32 points in a postseason game. Despite McCall dislocating his shoulder in the play-in tournament, he returned to help Cairns win Game 2 of the semifinals against Sydney (93–82). However, the Taipans fell short in Game 3, with Sydney advancing to the Grand Final.

Tahjere McCall played three seasons the Cairns Taipans. He averaged 16.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 70 NBL games.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Dan Boyce (823 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.